Social dialogue

Cambodia advances labour dispute resolution with ILO-Korea support

Supported by the ILO-Korea Partnership Programme, Cambodia reviews interim research progress on strengthening labour dispute prevention and resolution mechanisms.

30 September 2025

Phnom Penh (ILO news) – Cambodia reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening labour dispute prevention and resolution mechanisms during a workshop held on 30 September 2025 in Phnom Penh.

The event, supported by the ILO-Korea Partnership Programme and co-organised with the Korea Labor and Employment Service (KLES), focused on reviewing the country’s current system and exploring avenues for improvement.

Around 30 participants, including representatives from the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training (MLVT), the Arbitration Council (AC), workers’ and employers’ organizations and researchers from the Korea Labour and Employment Service (KLES), discussed the interim progress of research findings and recommendations on strengthening Cambodia’s labour dispute prevention and resolution mechanisms.

Group photo. — The workshop served as a platform to assess a pilot model developed through diagnostic research by KLES.

The workshop also served as a platform to assess a pilot model developed through diagnostic research by KLES and gather feedback from stakeholders.

Professor Park Eun Jeong of Korea National Open University led technical sessions and group discussions, presenting the findings and recommendations.

One is presenting in a large meeting room. — Professor Park Eun Jeong presenting the research findings and recommendations.

Shin Hochul, Chief Technical Advisor of the ILO-Korea Partnership Programme, highlighted the importance of the dispute prevention and resolution mechanism and encouraged all participants to contribute and provide inputs based on the research findings.

A digital screen mounted on the meeting room wall displays an image of a man. — Shin Hochul, Chief Technical Advisor of the ILO/Korea Partnership Programme, delivers the opening remarks.

Participants engaged in in-depth discussions on the strengths and limitations of Cambodia’s current labour dispute resolution system, the applicability of the pilot model and practical directions for improvement.

The event is part of an initiative to promote supportive labour relations policies to foster growth, productivity and decent work. The workshop underscored the importance of collaboration between government, workers and employers as well as how stakeholder ownership can shape a more effective and inclusive dispute resolution framework.

“This workshop marks a significant step toward reinforcing Cambodia’s labour dispute resolution mechanisms and ensuring that future reforms are grounded in evidence, inclusivity, and shared ownership,” said Shin.